ZAGREB, 15 Oct (Hina) – There is enough gas for this year’s heating season, storage facilities are well-stocked, and the expanded LNG terminal on Krk is expected to be operational by 24 October, further strengthening supply security, it was highlighted on Wednesday at Gas Day, organised by the Croatian Gas Association (HSUP).

HSUP President Dalibor Pudić  said that there is enough gas available on the market and that Europe, in general, is well-prepared for winter owing to the construction of new LNG terminals.

“Storage facilities are also quite full, which is reflected in stable prices and quantities,” Pudić  added.

He noted that the Okoli underground gas storage facility is over 90% full but has started to be drawn down since the heating season began slightly earlier. He estimates that the facility is currently more than 80% full.

He recalled that the LNG vessel is being expanded to add new capacity and stated that, once completed, LNG supply will be further facilitated.

“When the LNG vessel arrives, our supply capacity will be twice what we had before. This guarantees supply security. The expanded LNG terminal will be ready to deliver gas from 24 October 24,” Pudić said.

At that time, a new regasification module at the LNG terminal in Omišalj is expected to be launched, increasing capacity from 2.9 billion to 6.1 billion cubic metres of gas. Until the expansion, all capacities were fully booked for the next 12 years.

The expansion of the Krk terminal is part of the European Union’s plan to diversify energy sources and, in this case, is focused on Croatia and EU member states in Central Europe.

Prices up by nine percent

Asked about this season’s gas prices in Croatia, Pudić  noted that prices are set by the regulator. After some government subsidies were removed, prices rose by about nine percent on average compared to last year, he said, noting that this does not represent a significant burden for the population.

Commenting on the significant reduction in Europe’s dependence on Russian gas, he said the EU has set a target to become completely independent of Russian gas by 2027. Gas prices in Europe have already stabilised significantly compared to the start of the war in Ukraine and are roughly ten times lower than they were then, he added.